Chicago for First-Time Visitors: A Guide to the Top Things to Do

Millennium Park is one of Chicago's top places to go. (Courtesy City of Chicago/Patrick Pyszka)

Ask Chicagoans where they take visitors when they come to town, and these favorite Chicago things to do inevitably pop up.

They represent every major category on any Chicago traveler's itinerary, including restaurants, museums, shops and theater. This is the must-do list that even those locals should keep handy. Get going and get out there exploring the best of Chicago.

Revamped for its 100th birthday in 2016, the city's top tourist attraction still has its Harry Caray's Tavern, but also a new food court that focuses on healthier and local options, including Goddess and the Baker, which features fresh pastries, salads, sandwiches and a rotating selection of coffees from around the world.

The don’t miss? Georges Seurat’s “A Sunday on La Grande Jatte,” displayed in all its Pointillist prominence at nearly 12 feet by 10. It’s one of many highlights of the incomparable collection of Impressionist works here that began with a handful of pieces donated in the 19th century by Bertha Palmer (wife of hotelier Potter Palmer).

The official Garrett Mix at Garrett Popcorn (Courtesy Garrett Popcorn)

Garrett opened its first shop in 1949, and the lines just keep forming. If the famous cheese and caramel classic Chicago mix gets too rich, we recommend a bag of the simple, satisfying plain, which is hot air popped throughout the day. Add a dash of salt, and it's a lighter, no less delicious, Garrett treat.

Be the one who knows it all when you download a free audio tour about Millennium Park from the website; topics cover all the highlights including the "Bean," Crown Fountain and indoor performance space Harris Theater.

A classic Chicago hot dog with mustard, relish, chopped onions, sliced tomatoes, kosher pickle and sport peppers is a must-try for any new visitor to Chicago, and Portillo's is a perfect place to get one, a local restaurant that was established in 1963 and opened its first and only Chicago outpost in 1994.

Deep dish pizza should take care of at least one meal in Chicago, and, among other contenders (Pizano's, Gino's, Giordano's, Lou Malnati's), Pizzeria Uno still has some of the best. The signature Spinoccoli is a favorite, chock full of spinach, broccoli, cheeses, garlic and tomato.

One of the Mag Mile's highlights for kids is the American Girl Place in the Water Tower Place mall. It's two floors of all-things AG, including all the dolls, clothing, furniture and accessories, plus a doll hair salon, bookstore, custom-design T-shirt booth, and cafe (chairs for dolls too, of course).

The Loop has the Willis Tower, and the Mag Mile has the Hancock Center, with its 94th-floor observatory, 360 Chicago, boasting the tilting glass windows of Tilt. To get even more bang for your views, choose one of the package deals like a combo 360 ticket and helicopter tour.

If you've got little ones with you, bring some extra cash to treat them to the extras like a $3 ride on the carousel, a photo booth photo and maybe a souvenir from the Wild Things! gift shop, where purchases of certain items help fund conservation and wildlife education.

There are more than 85 tours to choose from of varying topics, areas and lengths, but one of the best for a Chicago newbie is the three-and-a-half-hour Highlights by Bus tour that traverses 30 miles of the city and makes stops at several locations including Frank Lloyd Wright's Robie House.

Map of Chicago for First-Time Visitors: A Guide to the Top Things to Do